


I will be your slave

by maravandeen



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Death, F/M, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-03-05 17:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13393056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maravandeen/pseuds/maravandeen
Summary: Sarah's return from the labyrinth is a few years back, yet  memories keep fetching her. When her life is completely turned upside down, she is forced to return, to face new problems and feelings - and to meet again the beautiful king, who carries a secret with him.





	1. The nightmare begins

**Author's Note:**

> After a 10-year break from writing, I saw David Bowie's death almost two years ago as an opportunity to start again.  
> The film has intrigued me deeply since my early childhood, shaking the demise of this awesome artist, so I dedicate this story to him.  
> I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors and spelling errors - English is not my native language and I had to consult a translator who probably did not translate everything exactly from German into English!  
> Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the story a little.

The young woman sat petrified on the uncomfortable plastic chair. Her eyes were fixed on the window behind the doctor, who in a few words had just destroyed her entire world, her plans and ideas. It was starting to rain outside.   
'How fitting,' thought Sarah, and she felt tears burn in her eyes, but she did not want to lose her temper. The man looked at her over the rim of his spectacles and made no move.   
After a few seconds, which seemed to Sarah like half an eternity, the doctor spoke again. "Did you understand what I said to you?" He inquired. "It's of enormous importance that we begin therapy as soon as possible, but I need your consent, Miss Williams."   
Sarah just nodded absently. She had just turned eighteen and wanted to begin her drama training next year, a new life in a new city.   
"Yes, I agree," she finally answered hoarsely. What else should she have left?  
"Good," the doctor said and slowly got up to say good-bye to Sarah after this brief conversation, "I will do everything to enable us to start chemotherapy tomorrow. First drive home to your family and pack some things. The sister at the appointment will contact you today. See you tomorrow." With that, he shook hands with her for a faint handshake, gave her a quick smile, then sat back and devoted himself to other activities.  
Sarah got up slowly; she had the feeling that everything was dancing around her and that the ground could give way under her feet at any moment. To her family, who did not know about this bad news yet. Still, her father was worried, realizing that Sarah had changed in recent months, complaining of dizziness and nausea. He had absolutely wanted to accompany her to this appointment, but Sarah had denied and said that probably everything would be half as bad.  
Now she did not know how to tell her parents about it and it tore her heart at the thought that she would also abruptly end their previous happy life.  
She turned her back to the doctor and left the room. As soon as she left the hospital, making sure nobody was near her, tears spilled hotly over her cheeks.

Sarah lay in her bed staring at the red, velvety sky above. She had retreated to her room as soon as possible after telling her family that she would have to go to Chemo regularly.  
Other than expected, her father and stepmother stayed calm and composed.   
They comforted Sarah, who was holding back her tears, and told her that everything would be all right, as long as she would go to therapy and adhere to the doctor's prescriptions.   
Sarah could hardly concentrate, only saw familiar faces, heard her voices and nodded again and again.  
She said goodbye, saying that she was tired now and in desperate need of some sleep - as if she could sleep in that condition.   
Now she lay there, listening to the rain that had intensified. She could also hear her parents' voices, occasionally a sob from her stepmother, whom she could cherish over the years. Sarah thought hard.   
She had kept in contact with her old friends over the years that had passed since she had visited the Labyrinth.   
Hoggle had said goodbye to her that she just had to sit in front of the mirror of her dressing table and name the name to communicate with them. She did not know what to do.  
It was clear that one day she had to tell them about the illness; Sarah looked at her watch. Shortly before midnight.   
Meanwhile, it had become quiet in the house and so Sarah got up and sat in front of the mirror. Her hair had lengthened and reached her waist; The face looked narrower and more distinct, but her green and alert eyes had not changed. "Hoggle," she said softly. "Hoggle, please contact me."  
It was not long before the reflection flickered and Hoggle's wrinkled face with the big nose appeared. "Sarah!", He was glad, "how long we have not heard from you. How are you? Tell me, and use the mirror more often. We miss you."   
Sarah could not help it. She sobbed and told Hoggle about all she had learned today and how she felt her time go by.   
As she reported, sobbing again and again, Hoggle did not say a word. He just stared at her in disbelief, but in his heart a war raged. Sarah would have to die, he knew that, and he felt just like her - unless he knew a way out ...   
"Sarah, we will find a way," he said firmly. "We will help you. You're not alone. I ... I'll get back to you. "   
Sarah just nodded and went back to her bed. She buried herself in their blankets, hoping that the next day everything would be better and that nightmare would come to an end.   
But everything should be coming different.


	2. Trip to the past

The next day, Sarah opened her eyes and knew that nothing had changed. All the papers she had received from the hospital were still on her desk. The nurse had come to her soon after Sarah left the hospital and told her to come the next night; her therapy would start late at night. Sarah was lying in the stomach like a heavy stone all day long. She could not eat, although her stepmother kept on at least a little to eat. She had already packed her things and was waiting for the evening. When it finally dawned, she looked around her room again, where she had not changed, though most of her peers had already disposed of her childhood memories with a bashful laugh. Sarah would not have had the heart to just dump all her things. They gave her a sense of security and protection, and they all had their own story to tell. Sarah took the small music box with the dancer in her white dress and turned it in her hands; she had been a gift from her deceased mother. She turned the key and watched the dancer, who moved to the soft melody. Sarah decided to bring the music box with her. "Sarah?", She heard her father call up the stairs, "we have to go slowly. Are you ready?" "Yes," Sarah answered. She packed the music box, went to her bedroom door and let her eyes wander over her clothes one last time. After that, she left with her bag, only to promptly run into Toby's arms. He had just turned four. His big eyes laughed at Sarah and he stretched out his arms towards her. She bent down, picked him up and kissed him on the cheek.  
Sarah's stepmother came out of Toby's room and gave both a warm smile. "I think he wants to tell you that you can do it," she said.  
Her stepdaughter nodded, kissed Toby goodbye once more, and went down the stairs, where her father was already waiting with the car keys in her hand. A look at her watch told her it was past eight in the evening.  
The one-hour drive to the hospital was for the most part silent. Neither of them really knew what to talk about. Her dad escorted her to her room, although Sarah had said that was not necessary - but he did not let it go.  
He also waited until Sarah got dressed in her silk pajamas and lay in bed. He waited until the doctor came with a nurse, re-examined Sarah, then gave her an access and a clear infusion. 'Gift bags,' thought Sarah.  
The doctor turned the valve until the liquid began to drip. Sarah's hands felt icy and she stifled a shiver. Quickly she averted her eyes from the infusion and looked at her father, who was still standing there.  
"It's good, Dad," Sarah said. "You can go home. I'll be fine. "She gave an encouraging smile, but knew that she looked cramped and her dad was not fooled.  
Still, he smiled back. "You can do it," he finally said. "You are stronger than you think. Are you sure I should not stay here? "Sarah shook her head.  
"I definitely need some sleep anyway. I am tired. Drive home to Linda and Toby, you can not do much here anyway. I'll see you tomorrow when the doctor allows me to go home. "  
Her father nodded. Sarah could literally read the sadness from his face, and that hurt her endlessly.  
Eventually she had managed to convince him to leave her alone. When he left, he gave her one last smile and closed the door behind him.  
Sarah was really tired now. She put out the light on her bedside table and closed her eyes. Outside her window stood a tree, its thin branches tapping softly against the window through the wind.  
"I wish it was easier," Sarah mumbled before falling asleep.

Sarah knew she was dreaming, and yet she could feel the light breeze that ran through her long hair and the soft earthy soil beneath her feet. The orange sunset graced the sky and the last rays of sunlight warmed her skin. She saw the labyrinth and in the distance the goblin town with the castle. How much she had always yearned to return here in recent years. She sat down on one of the large stones that lay scattered about her thoughts. Her childhood had been a long time, the problems of the everyday life of a young woman had overtaken her too early; she was soon to begin her new education, which she had to move to, and her stepmother had urged her with an encouraging smile, but to go out with her best friend's sweet boy, he was just twenty and yet so nice, a diligent student and still single ! Sarah shook her head angrily and amused. Linda seemed to care about her because she had not had a single date when she was eighteen; not because she was not pretty enough, because she had received offers from a few - she just never cared to be with someone her age, with someone who could only see what he was seeing, someone who only so young was. She closed her eyes and found herself in front of the throne with the white armrests. Nobody else was here. Sarah reached out and gently stroked the smooth surface; She had not noticed the little white owl she had been watching all along, and it was not supposed to, when she felt a sudden, piercing pain in her gut and tore her from her dream. The next moment, Sarah was wide awake, throwing herself into the bowl the nurse had given her. The poison continued to drip slowly into her body.


	3. I wish ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's very short, but I'm not a fan of long chapters - for me, it's the quality that matters, not the quantity of the words.

After the duty nurse, a robust but friendly woman, had left the empty infusion late at night, Sarah knew that her battered body would not be able to survive this type of therapy for long, for she had never been so exhausted and ill in her entire life felt like she did it now. Sarah's forehead was cold-swollen and she was shaking. She wanted to at least say goodbye to her friends personally, even if Hoggle had sworn to find a way out for her. Sarah loved the spiteful dwarf and did not want to hurt him, and yet she guessed that he could not help her and their time had come soon - at least she wanted to say goodbye, that was for sure. There was only one way, and she had to go. She had not forgotten her last meeting with the king. She remembered her wild heartbeat as she stood in the ruins of the castle and Jareth stepped out of the shadow of an archway, his eyes piercing her and trying to persuade her to stay with him; but she had defeated him by saying, "You have no power over me," seeing his eyes break, and he plunged into the depths. She had always been aware that he was not dead. And now - now she would call him again. Sarah took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead; he was not allowed to perceive her fear. "I wish," she began softly, "I wish that you, Goblin King, wherever you are, will lead me underground, into the maze."   
As she uttered the words, her heart raced the same way as it did then , She sat upright as possible. Nothing happened.   
The branches of the tree continued to knock against the window. She lowered her head in disappointment and wanted to submit to her fate as a smell rose in her nose, intense and beguiling - lilac.  
A shadow came from the corner. Silently, the figure stepped into the bright light of the moon and stopped at the foot of the bed. Disheveled, long hair framed the narrow face, the different-colored eyes were focused on her. He was dressed in completely black, a glittering needle shimmering on his high collar and a silver sheen graced his face; her lips curled into a smile that bared his pointed teeth. She stared at him in disbelief, half-open, overwhelmed by his appearance.   
"I am surprised that you called me." The king leaned on a silver-tipped cane and tilted his head questioningly, still smiling, "I did not expect to hear from you again, Sarah Williams ... after what happened."  
In the last words lurked a dangerous undertone. "I ask you to bring me into the labyrinth. I have things to do, "she replied, trying not to let her voice fail. His long cloak rustled softly as he approached Sarah and sat unasked on the edge of the bed.   
"You expect too much of me again. What do I get from you in return? Remember, Sarah, I rule this world, and this time I'm not so generous. "   
Sarah wondered what she should say to him now. What could she offer him in return? After probably dying soon anyway, I have nothing to lose, she thought, and she felt the need to scare this thought away like an annoying insect. Instead, the goblin king responded as if he had read her mind. The scent of the lilac had become more intense. "I grant you exactly thirteen days - in return, you will stay in my castle and keep me company whenever I feel like it," he said, as a smile played around his lips.   
He lifted Sarah's chin with one of his gloved hands. His face was approaching dangerously close to hers. "Should you fail in your project, the price will be much higher," he breathed, releasing Sarah.   
She nodded slightly.  
"As you wish," said the king, throwing his cloak over them both with a movement so fast that a mortal could not perceive them. All that was left were a few glittering sparks.


	4. Fear the king

The king had his legs laid over the arm of the throne and watched his goblins, who, as usual, loudly clenched and messed up.  
His thoughts, however, were not theirs. He knew that Sarah was ill even before she called him. Jareth had been watching her since her return from the maze; he could see her through his crystals, but he preferred to enter the human world and follow it in the form of a barn owl; the gliding at high altitudes, the wind, the rustle of his plumage, when he rose even higher, almost put him in ecstasy.  
He loved to be king and master of his kingdom, to know that every living thing obeyed and respected him; yet he enjoyed occasionally abandoning this empire and watching the small, so insignificant, people, and amusing themselves about their everyday problems he could not understand - parenting, marital problems, how ridiculous. Jareth smiled. Emotions, as people felt in excess, would inevitably extinguish this species one day.  
Sarah was one of those species, but her fighting spirit and her will had impressed and amused the king.   
She was different from the many others who had already come to the maze and failed. At first she had feared him as much as anyone else had done, and he had not considered her a worthy opponent.   
Still, Sarah had outsmarted him, broken his power over her ... and strangely liked that.

He could only guess why she wanted to return to the maze-of course, to see her friends. Thoughtfully, he played with the amulet resting on his chest.  
"Guard, bring me Hogbart," he ordered brusquely. "Arrest him if he defends himself."  
The dwarf was a thorn in his side. Although Hoggle did not want to admit it, Jareth knew that he and the other two beings had been in contact with Sarah for years.  
He had not forbidden them; Sarah was not allowed to forget the labyrinth.  
A squeal and several unspeakable curses told him that the guard had successfully executed his order.   
The goblins held the dwarf between them, then threw it in front of Jareth's throne. He raised one of his dark, pointed eyebrows in amusement.  
"Hogbart, how many times should I tell you? Do not resign yourself to my orders. I am tired of this; next time, I'll let you hang headlong into the bog of eternal stench," Jareth growled.  
"Hoggle, my lord. No, please not, Your Majesty!", Hoggle shouted in horror. "I did not do anything that could upset you, I swear."  
"Ah," the king contemptuously said. "Is that so? I know something else, dwarf." He laughed angrily. "You and your friends really have to sell me for stupid. I know everything, Hoggle. I know that you have contacted Sarah again and again since she left. And now I want to know about you, why she called me to bring her back into the labyrinth - and you should tell me the truth now, because this is the last chance I offer you."  
Hoggle swallowed audibly loud. "She just wants to visit us after all this time, that's all, Your Majesty. Nothing special."  
Suddenly the king stood before him, tall and terrifying.  
"Do not lie to me, I said," he hissed dangerously softly. "Do you think I believe you? By the way, I know she's sick."  
Oddly enough, he felt a sense of concern. He quickly replaced it.

Hoggle lowered his head and dropped his shoulders. "Yes, your majesty, you are right. She is terribly ill and she does not have much time left. I have to help her. "  
Jareth smiled, and Hoggle did not like that. His king did not smile without reason.  
"All right. You can go." That Sarah was already here, he concealed the excited dwarf. Why summon more problems? They would find out soon enough.  
He balanced crystal balls between his fingers. Hoggle turned his back on his king and wanted to leave the castle as fast as his short legs would allow.

Just before he left the hall, he heard the king say his name again. Hoggle closed his eyes briefly and wondered if it made sense to run away now - he knew he had no chance. So he turned around slowly, putting a forced smile on his lips. "Yes my Lord?"  
Jareth had his leg over the other and continued to balance with the balls. His eyes sparkled dangerously.  
"Do not try again to deceive me."


	5. Hospitality

Sarah found herself in a room she had never seen before. Red velvet wallpaper with wonderful patterns adorned the high walls, a fire burned in the fireplace and radiated a pleasant warmth. Two large comfortable chairs in the same shade of red as the wallpaper stood in front of it and invited to cozy reading evenings. A large four-poster bed with impressive carvings stood near the large window and two full bookshelves in the immediate vicinity. In front of the bed was a large chest that was open. Sarah glanced in to see that there were pieces of her clothing in it, as well as baroque-looking pieces that Jareth always wore. She shut the door and turned around in alarm as she heard a throat clearing.   
A goblin with a white cap on its head stood in the door, undecided whether to enter or not.   
"What do you want?" Sarah asked, eyeing the little creature suspiciously, as if it could attack her at any moment. The goblin made a curt bow several times before speaking. "His Majesty wishes to dine with you. He'll wait for you as soon as you freshen up."  
With the same gesture as before, the little creature disappeared as quickly as it had come and did not even give Sarah the opportunity to object. She did not even know where to expect her? Sarah found this meeting as uncomfortable as the fact that she was housed in the castle, but at least she could ask the king when she was finally allowed to see her friends, so she dug in the box and fished out fresh jeans and a gray sweatshirt and then headed for the heavy wooden door behind which there was a bathroom, as a rude Goblin had explained when she moved into the room. No sooner had she opened the door than it had taken her breath away.   
  
The whole room was white marble and it smelled seductive; in the middle was a huge bathtub, next to it a small table with different bottles on it. Clear water bubbled out of a well, shaped like a large fairy, and a large mirror adorned the picture Sarah offered. She had never seen anything so luxurious. She decided that a bath would really do her good. All at once, water shot into the tub without Sarah having made a move. Of course, the magic ... Quickly she got rid of her clothes and sank into the pleasant water, which she instantly relaxed. Curious, she reached for one of the small bottles, opened it and sniffed it. The scent was beguiling; a mixture of violets and overripe raspberries, so she added a few drops of it to the water. Sarah closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth that flowed through her body. Her worries and pain were washed away.   
By the time she had finished her bath, it was already dark outside. She had not the faintest idea how much time had passed and so she dressed quickly and combed her still wet hair. Sarah hastily opened the door, but what she found was no longer their premises. Sarah was in a hall, from whose high ceilings hung several chandeliers of impressive size and bathed him in a warm light. There was a very long table in front of the fireplace, where flames were blazing, and every single place was occupied by humans-or were they other beings? She did not know - occupied. The laughter and voices filled the room, making Sarah's nervousness rise. Someone tugged at her skirt.  
Wait, she thought, I'm not wearing any ... She looked down to see who had touched her and what was going on. In fact, Sarah wore a sea-blue dress made of the finest satin, which was littered with sparkling little crystals and which, thanks to the tight cut, flattered her body and, above all, her décolleté.   
Her dark hair fell on her shoulders in large curls, which in some places were traversed by silver threads. The little goblin squeaked to grab their attention. It was the same one who had previously delivered the message to Sarah.   
"Please follow me to your seat," he said, picking up Sarah's hand (getting only her fingertips) and pulling her behind her. She followed, still confused and impressed, with her mouth half open and continuing to look around. The goblin led her to the far end of the table, shuffling her chair, then waited for her to sit down, then remove the silver serving hood from the plate in front of her, hint at a bow, and beeped: “Chateaubriand with Béarnaise sauce on cranberry foam, my lady.”   
Sarah had not heard him at all. She had barely eaten in days because her nausea had not allowed her, and simply began to eat without caring for the people around her, watching her with amusement.  
It was only when she was done and under control that she sank back into the chair with the wineglass and sipped it when she recognized him. She almost dropped the glass. 

The king had been sitting at the other end of the table all the time, surrounded by beautiful women who demanded his attention. A redhead played with a long strand of hair from the king, saying something Sarah could not hear from the distance and giggling. A fair-haired woman poured out some wine and stroked his forearm meaningly. But he was sitting there, his arm propped on the back of the huge chair, his chin fixed on his hand, his stinging eyes fixed on her, seemingly ignoring the advances until the redhead leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek; He grinned mischievously and still did not let Sarah out of her sight.   
Sarah felt the rising heat of shame that made her cheeks blush - he was so rude and self-loving, it was incredible. Besides, he must have watched her as she had eaten hastily, how embarrassing. He actually seemed to be able to read her thoughts as he smiled and got up.   
The blonde touched his arm, which he quickly withdrew and gave her a look that Sarah could not read. The crowd fell silent and hundreds of eyes pursued the king as he approached Sarah with a soft, rustling cloak.   
Astonished murmurs went through the ranks as the king bowed to Sarah. His long cloak was the same color as Sarah's dress, the vest and trousers and gloves black, rounded off by the white shirt with ruffles that revealed the look on his amulet; isolated hair tips also shimmered blue. Sarah had never realized how tall he actually was. She was more than a whole head shorter. He offered Sarah his hand, waiting for her to put her down.   
Without thinking about it, she responded to his request and blamed it on the wine. With a strange lightness, he pulled her from the chair, but did not let go of her hand and studied her carefully before leaving the room with her.   
Sarah did not resist because she hoped to finally find out when she was allowed to see her friends; it was also a relief to get away from the many strangers. The gate closed behind them and she found herself in her room again.  
  
'This magic still robs me of my mind', Sarah thought. Jareth had let go of her hand and slipped his cloak carelessly onto the floor. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, crossed one leg over the other and gestured to Sarah to sit down. With a snap of his fingers, he let two wine glasses appear on the mantelpiece. She grabbed the skirt of the dress and settled down exhausted. Her intuition told her it was better to wait for Jareth to speak. Jareth waved his glass, his eyes fixed on the dark red wine.   
Sarah's impatience grew as he took his time or completely ignored her, so she was about to start when the king finally began to speak. "You'll see your friends when the time comes," he said, sounding completely indifferent, still looking at the glass.   
Of course, he must have known what Sarah's thoughts were all about. Her impatience slowly turned to rage that seized her body. His condescending way had not forgotten her, but she had hoped he would have changed at least a little after his defeat ... but no, of course not. She clenched her cold hands into fists and dug her fingernails painfully into the skin.   
"I have expressed my wish, now you have to fulfill it," she hissed and again she heard a voice in her head that whispered that she did not have much time left. He was not allowed to know that - not yet. "That's not fair!"   
His eyes shot up, the unequal eyes fixed on her and for a moment he stared at her without a fuss. Then he burst out laughing. "You've said that many times. I wonder where you got your sense of justice from," he recited to himself, a mocking grin on his lips,"you still seem to be a child, despite all the years that have passed. "   
Sarah snorted, now actually angry that he had just exposed her and was annoyed that she had offered him a chance to do so. This arrogant bastard. "At least I'm not lying," she hissed and at the same time regretted what she had just said, and with that she was right.   
  
All of a sudden, the smile vanished on the King's lips, and he jumped up in front of Sarah, her arms propped on the backs, her face so close she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Despite her fear, she looked him straight in the eye. She did not want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she feared him; and yet her whole body tingled. Sarah lost herself in his eyes and felt strangely weak.  
"I have always done what you wanted me to do; and once again, I've fulfilled your wish, but I'm expecting something in return and we're playing by my rules, little Sarah, "Jareth breathed dangerously calmly, letting one of Sarah's strands of hair slide between his fingers before settling back on the chair casually dropped. Sarah had not dared to move or say anything, but inside, her emotions boiled over.   
"After we clear that little misunderstanding," Jareth began coolly, "I'd say we forget our initial difficulties and seal our agreement with that fine drop." He flicked and suddenly Sarah held the other glass in her hands. She nodded cautiously and returned the gesture of surprise before sipping, hoping that the king would leave her alone; he had finally dismissed her question and it was better not to irritate him any further.   
Jareth, however, made no move to leave the room. She took a more generous sip. The wine was sweet and heavy in her mouth, like red velvet.   
It surprised her how wildly she drank. Perhaps Sarah had made a big mistake in deciding to go underground, and alcohol seemed to be her only way out, at least for a short while; besides, she just did not care how Jareth thought of her. For him, she was just a naive human being anyway, which he had already made clear to her when she demanded her brother back and the king condescendingly meant she should forget Toby and go play with her dolls again ... Sarah enjoyed the pleasant dizziness that seized her.   
All contours in the room appeared softer. She had been drunk once, but then she had been sick and had a headache the next day. However, this condition was unbearable - and the wine also loosened her tongue, and if he did not want to leave, she would simply ask him the questions they had been asking for years. Nevertheless, she had to act with care.   
"I want to ask you something," she began, trying to make herself more comfortable by bending her legs as gracefully as possible. "About what happened after I returned home." Again the king took his time with his answer. In the underground time was another term and influenced by magic. "Well, I have returned to my kingdom and brought in other enchanted children who fortunately did not have any sisters who desperately wanted to bring them back. My subjects live a good life on the condition that they obey. Even your brother could have had it well here."  
Jareth decided not to tell her the whole truth. She had defeated him after all, he really did not want to grant her more satisfaction. All at once, Sarah emptied her glass. She needed courage for what was to follow now.   
"You would have turned him into a goblin, what would have been better than being a human?" Sarah asked, noting that she was still unusually relaxed. The king grinned and bared his pointed teeth; Sarah's question, which might have angered him earlier, appealed to him. She gladly took a risk and challenged him, something no one had ever dared to do.   
"A long life, no rules, only absolute loyalty to me and obedience to my orders - it would have been a good life."   
Sarah collapsed in her chair. An unusual fatigue overcame her. "What was in the wine? I feel so ...”   
She shook her head as if she could get rid of the weird heaviness and fatigue she was experiencing. Just rest your eyes for a moment. "I could never have let him down ..." She was silent. Sleep had overcome her. Jareth let his glass disappear and got up.   
Silently, like a cat, he stepped in front of her and studied her.   
"I know," he breathed before vanishing in a swirl of silver sparks.


	6. Pictures of the Labyrinth

Sarah sat in the window, arms wrapped around her legs, watching the reddish-orange sunrise. She had woken up and suddenly realized that she was not home in her room at all; that she was not in the hospital ... when would she notice her disappearance and, most importantly, how long would she last without medical therapy? Anyway, she did not feel sick. She had slept wonderfully and felt rested. Sarah glanced at the chairs in front of the fireplace. She remembered sitting there with Jareth the day before and not talking about when she fell asleep.   
A soft knock on the door ripped her from her thoughts. The door opened a crack and a goblin with big googly eyes peeked in, caught sight of Sarah, and disappeared again, only to come in the next moment with a silver tray in her hands.   
"My lady, I'll bring you breakfast," he piped gently. He set the tray down at the foot of the bed and turned to go. "Oh, the king lets you know that you're welcome to use the library and the castle garden - but not the labyrinth. Unfortunately, his Majesty is busy with audiences until noon. Have a nice day."  
Sarah nodded. There was no point in begging to be allowed to see her friends, especially if the King did not want to see her, which she assumed. She had expressed her wish, but she had to play by his rules and be patient - if she fulfilled her part, he would have to follow suit. She bathed, changed clothes and ate a bit. The hot, sweet tea warmed and she was ready to explore the castle a bit on her own. Sarah would like to follow the offer to visit the library. Books were her passion, and who had the chance to look at possibly enchanted tomes?   
  
She left her room and walked up some stairs, wandering down some corridors as she searched for clues to the library. Sarah was sure that several hours had passed when she finally stood before a huge hinged door, over which was written a huge stone book. A cast-iron door knocker in the shape of a bird's head with a long beak graced the door. Sarah put her hands on the wood to open the gate as the door knocker crowed loudly and shook her head. "How then, what, where do you want to go?" Asked the monster, while the ring clinked in his beak.   
"Unauthorized access is prohibited, darling!" Sarah put her hands on her hips and frowned. "I have the King's permission, and do not call me that," she said sourly. The bird cackled. "How then, you," he emphasized the last word especially, "shall you be allowed to enter? No mortal may. How did you get into the lock, dear? I should probably crow for the guards. GU-ARDS, GU-“Sarah gripped her beak with lightning speed and silenced the knocker. She had the official approval, yet she couldn’t need the king’s henchmen to show up here and possibly cause her trouble.   
"Before you continue to cause trouble," said Sarah, "I am the king's guest, all right? A goblin was with me and delivered this message to me. Do you stop making such a noise now, right? Good. Then let me in now."  
She let go and the door knocker coughed artificially. "All right, all right," he crowed, "enter. Gosh, no one wants to talk to me, sad, sad.”   
Sarah grinned. The hinged door swung open and opened a narrow, but very long room. From the high ceiling hung large candlesticks.   
The bookshelves that adorned the walls reached to the chandeliers and were all full of books. Several ladders rose to this dizzying height. At the end of the room was a large fireplace in which a fire was already blazing. In front of it was a not-too-large table with beautiful carvings on which a few works piled up, and a matching, dark red velvet-covered armchair that looked more like a throne with its high back.   
Sarah walked along the high shelves and gently brushed her fingertips over the old leather covers. She tried to decipher some of the scriptures, but could not tell if it was her language or something foreign to her. A few rows later, she spotted a book whose shiny red cover caught her interest.   
Carefully, Sarah took it from his seat and studied it. It bore neither a title nor any other decoration, but when she opened it anywhere, she was greeted by the most colorful pictures she had ever seen. One of the pictures showed a forest in his orange autumn dresses and a fairy; she had been drawn taller than the little creatures were, with a love of detail that made Sarah dizzy with wonder. There was a silver sheen and finest patterns in the wings, barely visible to the naked eye. Next to the picture, Sarah found notes written in an elegant, italic font that she could not fully read.  
As she kept paging, she found similarly faithful images of goblins and other creatures she had not seen before. She decided to take a closer look at the book, tucked it under her left arm and headed for the table, where she dropped onto the soft chair.   
Before her lay an open book that she had not seen before because of the others stacked up. It showed an old man on a park bench, staring thoughtfully at the ground in front of him. She put the book, which she still had under her arm, on her lap and devoted herself to her new find. The next picture showed two children playing the copycat together.   
All drawings were made with black charcoal pencil, unlike the mythical creatures. Curious, she flipped on.   
Her heart jumped and her eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
A girl stared back at her, eyes over which prominent eyebrows rested, seemed to return her gaze. Her full lips were slightly open, while a torrent of dark hair fell on her shoulders. It wore a wreath of white flowers on its head, from which single threads mingled with her hair; Despite the dark coal, Sarah recognized herself again. It reminded her of the day she had rehearsed her role. The picture blurred and she rubbed her eyes. Had to be the candlelight that tired her eyes.   
As it blurred again, and this time more blurred, Sarah blinked; When she felt a pressure in her stomach, which quickly became a piercing pain, she already knew that she needed urgent help, and yet she could not utter a word.  
She fell from the chair under the table, and while her vision continued to cloud, she crawled with all her might in the direction of the door. When Sarah already believed that her time had come, she felt someone turn her on her back and two strong arms raised her with a strange lightness. She let the blackness come over her, willing to leave everything behind.   
  
  
Jareth drummed impatiently with his elegant cane against his shin. The almost daily business appointments and audiences annoyed him; most of it was land-based quarrels between his goblins or allegations of theft of goods, and occasionally drunken fights that amused Jareth at least a little.Today he had to judge the usual bickering again.   
Of course, he enjoyed his power and his privileges, but the duties involved were a thorn in his side. He preferred to transform himself into the shape of a barn owl and flew into the vast expanse of his kingdom, or retreated to his chambers to read all night long. Unlike his subjects, the king was well educated.He had just sent two goblins to punishment for two days in the bog of the eternal stench, because this had once again caused trouble by fomenting a fight on the market. Just as the two were being led away from the guards, his spokesman announced Sir Didymus, Hoggle, and Ludo. The king rolled his eyes annoyed and clapped his hand in front of his face.   
"Let Hogbart and Sir Didymus in, but not this giant," he growled.The next moment they entered the room. The king preferred not to pay any more attention to them."Your Majesty," Sir Didymus began, "we are truly sorry to waste your time. We are here to inquire about Mylady. "The king put his index finger and thumb to his chin and gave them a condescending, pitiful look. "She's fine," he snarled. "Before you continue to bother me: she knows that a visit will take place on your part, only I determine the time of the same. And be warned: your begging does not soften me, on the contrary, it strains my patience."  
The muzzle of the fox, which had come without Ambrosius, opened without a word and closed - the words were missing."Yes - yes, of course, Your Majesty-" He gave Hoggle a pleading look, also to say something, but the dwarf stared at the floor, silent, and as he dug his red cap with his hands as if it were wet; That's why Sir Didymus gave him a dirty look and continued, "We just wanted to know if everything was okay with her."Jareth knew that these pests would not leave him alone until he gave them a satisfying answer. He sighed. Unfortunately he could not send her to the moor without a good reason, that would be too obvious.  
"Very well," he said, "since I am a generous king, I grant you a glimpse of her." He conjured a crystal ball that he slid between the palm and back and forth before giving it to Hoggle without warning tossed. The dwarf stumbled and had difficulty catching the ball in time. With trembling hands he held them now and Sir Didymus pressed against him to see better.  
At first she did not show them, but what Hoggle saw made him freeze. "There is something wrong. Sarah - Sarah, she - is just there, Your Majesty! Quick, we have to go to her!"  
He shouted excitedly and looked up to look pleadingly for the king's gaze.The bullet broke into thousands of sparkling pieces as Hoggle dropped her in horror. A leather glove had settled around his throat and brought him to the King's eye level. His eyes were cold, and yet there was something burning in it - anger?"Out," hissed the goblin king barely audible.   
Hoggle fell on the hard ground; Sir Didymus quickly helped his friend, who gasped for air, and propped him up.   
The king was gone.   
  
  
Sarah blinks weakly. She felt nothing.   
No pain, no fear; she did not even notice the existence of her own body. Bright, almost glistening light penetrated even her eyelids and let them slowly come to her.She tried to open her eyes, but the white glow blinded too much and she closed it again. Sarah tried to move her fingers, but unsuccessfully. Her body could not and did not want to obey her.  
The only thing she could feel was a pleasant warmth that spread from her feet upwards, reaching her belly and waving her arms, her chest, and ultimately her face; she shuddered.Sarah blinked again at the light and dimly recognized a creature standing in front of her; it had stretched its arms over her body and remained motionless.   
Then it touched Sarah's forehead, and at first she heard a low humming, which slowly increased and suddenly a song mingled with it, in a language she did not know. Sarah could not find words for what she was feeling right now. Tears shot into her eyes and ran down her cheeks, her pulse dropped and her breathing slowed; The beauty of the voice cast a spell over her and made her experience thousands of impressions and sensations. She felt the heat seize every fiber of her body and she could gradually move her fingers again.   
She felt a strange sense of security that she had not felt since the death of her birth mother; Sarah remembered the soft, brown hair and how she had stroked her daughter's cheek as if it had been yesterday.   
All of her problems suddenly seemed forgotten, every pain and every fear gone.Did that feel like dying? Was she already dead and just did not know it?Her mouth was so dry that she could not utter a word, yet she tried silently to form words. Someone wets their lips first, then carefully raised their heads and poured cold water into them. Sarah drank and eagerly reached for life.   
She could not be dead yet, if she still felt and perceived all this. She sank back on the soft ground.   
"Where ... am ... what is ...?", She managed only with difficulty.   
Someone put a finger to her lips to tell her to keep quiet.  
"Sleep," she heard someone say. Sarah could not control it. She got terribly tired, as if she had not slept in days.   
  
Her eyes closed and she began to dream.


	7. Pictures of the Labyrinth - Part II

Sarah ran through a forest; orange, red, and yellow leaves fell silently from the thick, tall trees. The air was cool and traced by thin fumes that made visibility difficult; it smelled earthy and fresh.   
She had no destination, but just ran deeper and deeper into the forest. Here and there sunbeams of the setting sun brushed their faces, which fell through the thicket. She walked until the sun was almost set and she reached a small clearing in the forest; There she found a small pond, on one side of which were large stones.   
Now she also noticed the many small lights that were everywhere; in treetops, over the water of the pond and Sarah reminded of small, brightly shining stars.   
She perceived a shadow emerging from the forest and hid quickly behind a broad tree trunk, trying not to breathe too loudly. Sarah dared to take a look. The goblin king sat on one of the stones; he wore a cream-colored cape with feathers and matching pants, shirt, and jerkin. The tips of his tangled hair shimmered silvery; a gentle breeze made strands fall into his face.   
Thoughtfully, he stared at the surface of the water as if he saw something other than himself in it. One leg he had bent and the other stretched out. Sarah watched him reach out and draw circles in the water with his fingertips.   
To see better, she took a step forward - and apparently climbed on a twig, because under her foot cracked.   
She held her breath and narrowed her eyes, but it was too late. Jareth looked directly in her direction. "I know you're here, little Sarah. There's no need to hide yourself."   
Sarah stepped out of her hiding place and approached the pond. "First: do not call me, little Sarah, I'm not a kid anymore. Where are we?", She asked angrily and at the same time was embarrassed that he had known of her presence from the beginning.   
In the meantime, the sun had set and the small things sliding through the air bathed the clearing in a soft light.   
"And what are those lights here?" With a graceful, swift movement, the king rose. He crossed his hands behind his back. Sarah noticed that he had not even taken off his gloves when he touched the water.   
"We are in the place you have seen before today," he replied. "He is part of my kingdom. I created it, like everything else."   
Sarah tipped her head back to watch the many lights; There were so many and they were beaming with the stars in the night sky. "It's beautiful," she admitted.   
In fact, Sarah had never before seen a nicer, more peaceful place than this one. "Well, thank you, little Sarah." She spun around as the king whispered in her ear.   
He had suddenly stood directly behind her, the corner of his mouth amused. As expected, he provoked her. Sarah frowned suspiciously when she saw that Jareth held out her hand to her.   
"A little dance for the sake of old times?" He winked and Sarah felt her cheeks flush again and she shook her hand in embarrassment to avoid further eye contact.   
Jareth laid her other hand gently on her slender hip, while Sarah's rested on his shoulder. They began to dance slowly across the clearing. "These lights you see are fairies," the king went on. "But there are also lurking lights between them. They are beautiful, but they lead to death; they always accompany him. "   
Sarah was silent. She had danced with him before, that was a long time ago. Only now did she realize how fine his delicate features actually were. His cheekbones were distinct and his pointed eyebrows underlined; The small lips looked rosy and stood out against his bright, silvery shimmering skin. The unusual eyes were adorned by a white and dark pattern; the subtle scent of lilac rose to her nose as they spun together. The magic of the place seemed to be enhanced by the full moon.   
"That picture of me," Sarah began, tearing herself away from her thoughts, "I found it in one of the books."   
"Of all the works I own, you just had to find them, but good: before I create a new place, I immortalize it first and change what I do not like. Occasionally, I also observe the human world and draw things that I find valuable enough to be held for all tides."  
His words left her speechless. He considered her valuable? Had this lofty goblin king just complimented her? 

When she regained her composure, Sarah asked one question that had occupied her since her return from the maze ... "What are you?"   
For a brief moment it seemed to Sarah that she had hit a sore spot, as he stopped abruptly and thus ended the dance. He let go of her and wordlessly returned to the pond, where he sat down again on the stone.   
Irritated, Sarah followed him and knelt down on the moss-covered, soft floor. "I am not human, I never was; I am not a goblin. I exist. And that for a very, very long time. You know enough about me now, almost too much. And now- " In his voice, anger suddenly boomed, "disappear. Go!"   
The ground beneath her broke open, leaving her no chance to escape; she screamed as she plunged to blackness as the king watched her.

 

"Sa-wah! Saa-waah! Sa-wah not gooood. "   
"Shut up, Ludo, you still wake her," Hoggle instructed his friend.   
The giant sat in front of Hoggle's little house, built in a ledge, and peered with one eye through the window. He grunted sadly and finally fell silent.   
Hoggle was preparing herbal tea and shoved the kettle over the fire. Sir Didymus was changing the wet rag on Sarah's forehead while Ambrosius licked Sarah's fingers happily.   
Sarah woke, pulled her hand away and sat up slowly, under the protest of Sir Didymus. After getting used to the faint light, she started to get up, painfully bumping her head against the low ceiling, moaning, and dropped back onto the hard bench.   
Little bricks fell on her hair. Hoggle gasped and came to Sarah. "Girl, just sit. You have to rest!"   
Tears shot into Sarah's eyes when she realized that she was in the circle of her friends; she grabbed Hoggle impetuously and hugged him for a long time.   
"Oh, oh, but stop it," the dwarf grumbled, gently removing her arms from him. Sir Didymus removed his feathered hat and bowed so low that his nose touched the ground.   
"Milady, how nice it is to see you again," he said in a shrill voice, raising her hand and putting a wet hand kiss on it. Ludo, who had not noticed Sarah's awakening, grunted outside. "How do I get here?" Sarah wanted to know.   
She still remembered the strange dream she had of Jareth. Entering, Hoggle looked down and shuffled his foot over it, while Sir Didymus suddenly seemed more interested in a bundle of herbs hanging from the ceiling. The kettle bubbled with itself. Annoyed, Sarah rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip.   
"What's happening? Please tell me, what's wrong? Last time I was in the castle, why am I here now? You did not kidnap me, did you? "   
Hoggle clasped his hands together. "My goodness, no, the king would let our heads roll for that, where are you thinking? It's ... well ... well, it's like this ... " He was struggling for the right words. How was he supposed to explain that to Sarah?   
They did not actually kidnap her. The king himself had arranged for Sarah to be brought to them.   
The guard who had brought the young, unconscious wife to them had only delivered a meager message from the king. One of the goblins had pulled out a scroll under his armor and read that from now on Sarah would no longer be allowed to enter the castle unless the king had otherwise.   
After that, the group left and left the three friends behind in a hurry. Hoggle took a deep breath.   
The teapot hissed and shrieked. Then he told Sarah what had happened and that they themselves did not know why.   
She had just sat and listened to his story. When he had finished, she only nodded briefly, got up and moved towards the fireplace. Hoggle touched her arm, but she ignored his gesture.   
"Sarah-" Sir Didymus and he exchanged a look. The little fox left the house under the pretext of keeping Ludo company.   
Sarah pushed the kettle away. With the other hand, she clung to the edge of the fireplace, as if otherwise she would lose her grip.   
The fire danced and crackled. Tears were burning in her eyes again. The king had rejected her. In fact, she was supposed to be happy that he obviously had no interest in meeting her and sending her to her friends.   
That was the only reason they had wanted to go back underground.   
Jareth must have grown tired of her, and after such a short time - he was unpredictable. 

Maybe her wish had been a mistake; she could not suppress a soft sob.


	8. The king's heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to breejah for beta-reading this chapter!

There had been a disturbing silence in the castle for days that had never happened before. The staff had entrenched themselves at the King's command in the kitchen vault and simultaneous personnel tract and did not dare to put even one foot out; they might be goblins and not be blessed with special wisdom, but they knew that in this situation it was better not to provoke their king. It was by no means unusual that their king could be extremely moody, swaying from euphoria to sudden aggression, but those states never lasted long. This time it was different than usual. In order to make himself heard and to announce his command, he had actually rammed his walking stick into the stone floor, which broke splinteringly. After that, he had retired without another word to his chambers in the highest tower of the castle. When the double doors closed behind him, Jareth sank exhausted in front of the fireplace to his knees; He stared into the flames but did not notice them. His powers had been weakened more by recent events than he had supposed; he felt a tiredness that was unknown to him and at the same time anger that rose in him. The girl only caused trouble since she had expressed her wish and summoned him to it; yet there had always been the faint hope that she might want to go back underground, though her last meeting and Sarah's triumph almost cost him his livelihood. After the words, those painful words, had come over her lips, he had taken on his animal form so as not to disintegrate into hundreds of rubble like his empire and wandered through the nights, overwhelmed by the fact that a human had defeated him. You have no power over me. Jareth paused, keeping his memory alive. You have ... no power over me. The king hissed angrily.

When Sarah called him again, tingling curiosity and excitement flooded through him; at the same time, he had to control himself, not to bring the girl his angry anger. He was king, of high birth and was not allowed to condescend to the emotional level with the people. But there was something else, something that disturbed him rather than his current condition. Jareth's senses were supernatural, which was typical of his ancient lineage; his hearing and vision were particularly intense, even the aura surrounding every creature was no secret to him. He knew that Sarah Williams had not come alone into the maze. Her aura had always been a treat for him, as she was pure and innocent, unlike his own. When, for the first time in years, he faced her again in the sickroom, he realized that a dark shadow had stuck to her. During her brief stay in the castle, the shadow had pushed her pure aura ever further. Jareth watched, remembering what Sarah had done to him; so why should he help her now? Jareth made his hand into a fist, inspecting it. After all, her wish had been to see her friends again, not him. She hated the goblin king, he knew it, he saw it in her eyes. He felt her contempt in every word she addressed to him, in her distaste as they danced. Still, he had searched the old books on the art of healing in his library for a cure and discovered a brew that would provide relief and possibly cure; a few drops in her tea or wine had been enough.

The shadow was then gone for a short time, but returned just as soon back. Jareth knew her condition was more serious than he had initially assumed. Slowly the king rose and took off his cloak and tight jersey. He walked to his four-poster bed with the imposing carvings in the dark wood, and dropped backwards on it, arms outstretched, to stare thoughtfully at the wine-red velvet sky, until he closed his eyes and surrendered to the memories.  
When he found Sarah unconscious, pale, and with blue lips in the library, he knew she was close to death at that moment. Jareth had knelt beside her, pulled off one of the leather gloves and touched her skin, which was unnaturally cold under his fingers and felt waxy. He did not hesitate. Carefully, he had pushed his arms under Sarah's limp body and lifted her. He did not know himself what happened next; his own aura gradually changed, so that a bright, steady light emanated from both of them.  
This glow intensified, hugging her and hurt his eyes, but he kept his eyes on Sarah. The environment changed. The many books and the musty, stuffy smell and the stone floor disappeared until only the light, as well as a padded white chaise longue were visible, on which he laid the girl. He remembered gently stroking Sarah's cheek, then placing his hand on her forehead and closing his eyes, repeating the same thought over and over again. Do not die. A brief but intense pain shot through him, but he did not abandon her. Heat rushed through his body and spread through his palms to Sarah's body. Now he understood what was happening: he was transferring some of his strength to save her life, but what price did he pay for it?  
When she began to tremble and whimper softly, the king quietly began a song in the hope of comforting her.

_As the pain sweeps through Makes no sense for you Every thrill has gone Wasn't too much fun at all_   
_But I'll be there for you_   
_As the world falls down_

In fact, she relaxed and remained calm; a single tear came loose and ran down her cheek, which again assumed its rosy color; Jareth gently wiped her away.  
The glimmering light disappeared slowly as the surroundings turned into Sarah's room and bed; He instructed her once more to sleep with an equally soft voice, before retiring to his chambers.  
He had Sarah supervised by a goblin trained as a healer and gave the order to report back to her about her condition. It was not long before the goblin came to tell him that human beings were stable enough but needed some rest. Jareth had just nodded and dismissed the healer.  
When the darkness of the night had fallen on the ground, the king had changed; He slipped through the window and flew toward the pale moon. For a brief moment, he enjoyed the flying wind that floated through his plumage and the carefree air he felt. He turned with an elegant movement and approached Sarah's window, where he landed silently on the ledge. For a time the barn owl was almost motionless, occasionally stretching its neck; then she had fluttered softly into the room, and had again assumed the form of a man. Carefully, he had approached the bed on which Sarah lay asleep and bent over her. She had looked so peaceful, her mouth slightly open, one arm under the pillow. At that moment, he had finally realized that he actually had feelings for a person. He had not worn his gloves since they were rescued; Carefully, he reached for her and brushed a strand of her dark hair from her face. He again touched her skin, which felt wonderfully soft and warm and smelled of overripe raspberries ... It made him weak.  
Ashamed and angry at the fact, he had disappeared from their chambers just as quickly as he had come.  
Jareth opened his eyes, cursing because he had spent those memories far too long and intense. With a quick movement, he swung himself from the bed and moved to the large, open window, which revealed the view of almost the entire labyrinth. He made a crystal appear and sat in the window, one leg bent and the other loosely was now urgently needed. He had abruptly sent Sarah away - but he could not send her back to her world, having promised her time with her friends, and he was bound by that promise. However, her presence made him furious, he could not stand the sight, the sound of her voice; he did not know what had moved him to this madness, which is why he gave this lower individual part of his own vitality and tried to protect it. Yes, her unruly nature appealed to him, and he loved cornering her with his provocations, and then watched with benevolence as the shame crept on her cheeks;she did not seem to be very experienced yet - but this ridiculous game could not have been crucial to her rescue.  
The existence of the goblin king hung by a thread anyway. Few people still believed in magic and magical creatures, and that fact weakened his race enormously. Many of his kind had already disappeared in the eternity of forgetting, had simply dissolved. So far, Jareth had been spared, because he was of royal blood and mighty, but reluctant to hear it, he was dependent on humanity not losing its faith.

The king slid the ball between his fingers for a while, threw and caught her before he began to search hard. Yes, his power had definitely suffered, for even the appearance of a crystal wearied him; then he recognized the hairy giant sitting in front of this Hogwart's cottage. He looked into the house, saw the other two beings standing behind Sarah. The dwarf held her hand while the fox gestured wildly with his little sword. She stood there motionless, staring into the flames. The picture focused on her pale ran down her cheeks, which she hastily brushed away with her sleeve.  
Under great pressure, the bullet shattered in Jareth's hand, and blue blood dripped on the rock. It was about time that the girl understood how generous he had been so far ...

Sarah clenched her hands into fists, her heart pounding in her throat. She was mad, what was he talking about? What game did he play here with her?  
At first she could not hold back the sea of tears. Sarah believed that on the one hand, the events of recent weeks were to blame. The many examinations that followed a routine examination because she received the devastating diagnosis, her desperate parents and herself, who had tried to keep her composure until now. On the other hand, there was also the meeting with her dreaded king, as well as the reaction on his part, with which she had not expected. The words he had sung for her then had never been anything other than part of his perfidious plan to finally bring his brother into his possession and deceive her. Sarah almost believed he felt something for her; He probably would not only have turned her brother into a goblin, but she too.  
She closed her eyes and softly hummed the melody that had not left her mind for years, remembering the pompously decorated hall and the many eerie masks that had stared at her. The costumed creatures laughed, grabbed for her. She had run frightened, the skirts of her dress rustling softly.  
Her eyes wandered searchingly through the crowd. Again and again she recognized the face of the goblin king, which disappeared in the next eyelid strike, however.  
Sarah had almost given up when he had suddenly stepped out of the crowd and approached her, his unusual eyes always on her. She had forgotten her fear in one fell swoop as they floated together across the floor; she could not help but look at him. Something about him had changed; he did not give Sarah the patronizing look he used to do. Rather, benevolence shone in his eyes and he radiated something that Sarah could not interpret. His voice, the words he sang, touched Sarah's heart. She felt like a princess from all the fairy tales she had devoured. He had sung for her, only for her.

_But I'll be there for you_   
_As the world falls down_

Sarah pulled herself out of her thoughts, shaking her head wildly, causing her brown hair to whirl around. She could not help but stamp on her foot and let go of a suppressed scream. That vain bastard! With difficulty she stifled the tears that rose again. No, he should not get away with that.  
She now knew that his power was limited and he was not invincible.  
The days that remained in the underground, had to be used sensibly, after all, she felt fit enough. I have to die anyway, she thought, so I should take the chance to take revenge on him. The only question was whether she was able to completely destroy him with her own words ...  
He still considered her a weak child, it was not enough to put him to flight the last time. This time, she would see to it that he finally disappeared from her life. He should look her in the eye and realize that he had been mistaken in her.


	9. Dangers of the Labyrinth

"You ... you're so stubborn, so ... so grumpy, it's unbelievable!" Sarah gripped her head desperately with both hands as she paced up and down. If Hoggle did not want to, he just did not want to. He may be her friend, but even for the best friend you should not take any chances, no, nobody should go in for one! Anyway, that was the opinion of the dwarf, but he preferred to keep to himself. It was better not to irritate Sarah any more.  
"I never said you should accompany me, did you?" She asked him for the hundredth time that evening. "You should only show me a way to the castle, where I can not be discovered. And do not lie, I know that you have to know one, after all you know this labyrinth like the back of your hand."

Hoggle dismissed her question with an "Ach," just as the times before, wiped his big hands on his pants and continued to stash his most valuable treasures he had collected over the years, in a hole in the ground behind a dresser.  
Sarah sighed annoyed. Sir Didymus was embarrassed by his hat feather and had not interfered yet, but it was probably inevitable. Sarah had to be rationalized somehow without her knowing about the threat. He decided to tell her at least part of the truth, maybe that would help.  
"Milady, you know that we appreciate you very much and that your safety is very important to us, is not it? The Honorable Hoggle just wants to protect you, do not take it personally. If our high king wishes not to meet you, it means that the security arrangements throughout the empire have been tightened and getting through without being seen is an impossible task. I would love to accompany you and protect you gloriously from all your equal opponents, but I do not know the way. Besides, you would upset the king with that, and before him- "He sighed and you could see how difficult it was for him to admit the following words," even I can not protect you. "  
Sarah knelt down smiling at the fox and took his paw in her hand.  
"I appreciate your wanting to protect me, Sir Didymus. But things have changed and I'm not a kid anymore. You know that I am sick and therefore have to deal with a far greater enemy. There is one thing between the king and me that I have to clarify. He can not harm me and his henchmen either. You are a brave knight, dear Sir Didymus, but I have to fight this alone, as I have done before."

Hoggle had long stopped stowing away his treasures and listening to the conversation. He knew for a fact that the girl did not let go of her plans. So what good would it do to tell her about the changes in the labyrinth he had seen since their last visit? The king returned, clearly bent, but no less angry, after Sarah had clearly triumphed over him. He let this pent-up anger at his subjects, but he also changed the labyrinth. All sorts of malevolent creatures, who could easily take on Ludo, wandered around in it; poisonous plants and mushrooms sprouted from the dark, almost black walls. Hoggle's emotions literally divided him; yes, Sarah was his girlfriend and she needed his help, but the fear of being banished forever into the mire of eternal stench, or worse, being hung upside down ... again he was about to leap over his shadow.

Grumbling and mumbling to himself, he got up, brushed his hands on his pants again and came to the two. "Sarah, well ... well, it ... well, maybe there's a way I can show you ... but just show you have to go it alone anyway. I ... but must warn you. The path is dangerous and the labyrinth has changed since your last visit. "  
"Oh Hoggle!" Sarah exclaimed happily, hugging him tightly. Under nagging the dwarf broke from her embrace, lifted his index finger in front of Sarah's nose and slowly explained to her again: "You have to go alone, you understand? When the king catches us, our heads roll. But ... are you really sure you want to do that? "Sarah nodded. She was as determined as she had been to Toby's rescue at the time, yet she could understand her friends' worries well. Her intent was dangerous, too dangerous for her friends; she was secretly glad to have to go this way alone.  
She had nothing left to lose, for the King had taken her dignity from her - and she wanted to get her back, even if it meant dying with dignity.  
As the first rays of sun broke through the window, Sarah was already wide awake and on her feet. She had not been able to sleep and Sir Didymus and Hoggles had been listening to alternate snoring, which had at least somewhat calmed her. Ludo had made himself comfortable on a nearby tree and was buzzing loudly in his sleep. She had crept from her makeshift bed as quietly as possible, so as not to wake Sir Didymus, who had curled up on some blankets, and packed a few things in her bag. After that, she had gone to Hoggle and gently touched his shoulder to wake him. A gruff grunt told her he was awake; then he slowly got up, rubbed his tired hands over his tired eyes and nodded silently to Sarah.

It was hard not to look back wistfully; she did not want to deprive herself and her friends of the possibility that she might have returned victorious, although the opposite could happen as well. She could not bear to leave, she was not allowed to cry again. She had to be strong.  
A long walk followed, which both silently accepted. Hoggle guided her along the wall of the labyrinth. Occasionally he reached out and ran his hand along the mossy stones, knocked, shrugged, and walked on, Sarah in tow.  
After almost endless time and a lot of repetition of this process, Hoggle had finally found what he was looking for. He had stopped in front of a brick wall that protruded only a few inches from the others, which Sarah had not noticed with her eyes. After tapping, the ground under their feet began to shake a little, and a trapdoor opened, stirring up a lot of dust.  
Sarah, whose neck was already dry and tight with excitement, coughed and waved the little cloud away from her face with her hand. She stroked an annoying strand of hair behind her ear and examined the black depth that had opened in front of her, with slight alarm. All the while, she had assumed that Hoggle was leading her to the entrance to the labyrinth and could not hide the surprise. Her little friend noticed Sarah's worried expression. "The labyrinth itself is too dangerous," Hoggle said. "That's why you better go here - but do not underestimate this path. Nothing is as it seems."

 

It was pitch black. Tiny, uneven stairs led into the unknown, bounded by the earthy and rooted walls. Sarah was reluctant to admit that she was claustrophobic and avoided tight spaces as best he could. She knew she could give up at this point, just turn around and forget everything once and for all.  
With a slight hesitation she stepped to the first step and turned to Hoggle, who looked at her worriedly. "Sarah, you do not have to-"  
She took his hand, pulled him to him and hugged him; the dwarf did not fight this time, on the contrary, he returned Sarah's embrace. As they parted, Hoggle blinked violently at the tears. He wanted to support her so much, but he knew that it was Sarah's only fight and that farewell could be her last.  
"Wait, Sarah." He fumbled with his belt and removed a leather bag attached to it. He handed it to Sarah, who opened the lacing. In it she found a piece of bread and some dried berries; a small storage pack. Sarah knew that the dwarf himself was just making ends meet.  
She did not want to start crying again in front of Hoggle, so she silently pointed to herself and silently formed the words "For me?" And kissed the dwarf on the forehead after nodding.  
"Take care of the others, Hoggle."  
"I'll keep watching until you're back, Sarah, I promise. Promise us that you will come back. "  
"See you soon, Hoggle. I love you very much, do not forget that."  
"Do not talk nonsense. Take care."


	10. Don't trust anyone

The trap door had fallen into the lock after Sarah had gone down the first few stairs. She had heard Hoggle's surprised exclamation and was then trapped in complete darkness, as the open hatch had been her only source of light so far. Her heart was racing and she tried not to panic. Blindly and slowly, she felt her way with her hands and feet along the path, not only getting a little startled because she missed a step by a hair's breadth. She could not even see the hand in her eyes, it was so dark. Drooping roots tickled her face. The musty, earthy smell made Sarah's breathing difficult.  
The stairs just did not want to end, but Sarah did not give up. Her patience should be rewarded as she made a barely perceptible flicker after numerous other stairs. At first she thought she was faking it, but with each step she came closer to it. The staircase made a turn and eventually led them to the source of this light. She entered a small circular room with nothing but a candle on the floor. From the room three other paths branched off, all leading to uncertainty. Sarah dropped to her knees and picked up the candle. She was clutching her with both hands, as if she could just disappear at any moment. She stared at the paths in disbelief. The flame flickered restlessly. None of them provided an indication of where they were going and they looked the same.  
Sarah frowned hard, held out the candle and watched. Where did this breeze come from? She took a deep breath before holding her breath. Her pulse slowed, her senses tightened. This slight breeze clearly came from the middle way.  
That had to be the right way. Is there such a thing as right or wrong here? Was the thought going through her, or am I going to ruin anyway?  
Sarah quickly expelled this train of thought. No matter which way she took, she had to choose one way or the other. So she stayed with her choice and went on; In any case, the candlelight gave her a little security and she made faster progress.  
At first she thought she had interrogated, but when she listened again, she heard the splashing of water. If there was a source here, or maybe a small underground river, it had to go somewhere. Sarah approached the sound and went running, the flame flickering dangerously.  
She found herself at a dead end and cursed softly. From the wall stood a stone lion's head, out of whose mouth water ran into a gutter in the ground and disappeared into a small hole in the opposite wall. So much for her theory with the river. She sighed and put the candle down.

"Ello!"  
Sarah paused, looking around, searching.  
"Ello, here. I'm down here. "  
A short, shrill whistle turned her attention to the hole in front of which an old acquaintance sat. The blue worm with the big eyes and the red scarf looked at her curiously.  
"I know you," Sarah said and knelt down to him. "What are you doing here?"  
"So? We know each other? Hmm, I do not really remember. I live here, what else? "The worm replied boldly," did I introduce you to my old lady? "  
"Well, I thought you lived in the walls of the labyrinth, not down here," Sarah replied.  
"My building is big, you silly. We worms also like to have a lot of space, "the worm said and began to nod in the direction of the hole," so we have enough space. Come on in, and I'll introduce you to my old people, if I have not done that yet. "  
Sarah again declined his offer with thanks, while the situation felt odd, as if she was going through a de-ja-vu.  
The constant lapping and clucking dried Sarah's throat; she felt her tongue stick to the palate. She was so thirsty. With both hands she formed a bowl, let some water in and drank. Thin rivulets made their way over her chin. The water was wonderfully cool and good, so she took a few sips of it. The worm had meanwhile retreated to his dwelling. "Maybe you should have said that she should not drink from it," he had mumbled to himself.

Sarah enjoyed the feeling as the cool wet wet her throat. Again and again she drew water and drank as if she had been about to die of thirst. Once again she scooped up the precious elixir of life and washed her dusty and tired face with her eyes closed.  
"Hey, Sarah - are you alright?" A voice that belonged to a young man asked. Quickly she removed her hands from her face and looked around in confusion. A waitress in a pink uniform hurried past her with a coffee pot; it smelled seductively of pancakes and bacon. A group of grown-ups with children apparently celebrating a birthday party clamored and chanted a song, while another waitress with a sparkler cake approached the group. "Sarah?"  
Only now did Sarah perceive the person sitting opposite her. It was Matt, a neighborhood boy she had attended high school with, looking at her worriedly.  
"Is everything ok? Do you want a glass of water? "He waved for the waitress, but Sarah shook her head. "No, not necessary," Sarah answered. A glimpse out the window and the buzz of air conditioning told her there was midsummer outside; a few laughing girls ran past the diner of their hometown with an ice cream cone.  
What the hell was going on here ...?  
Matt had reached for her hand and held it in his. He smiled. "Must be the heat," he said and took a sip of his milkshake.  
Sarah got away from his grip as inconspicuously as possible. She thought, then cleared her throat. "How long have we been here?" She asked, trying not to make the question look too weird. Did she lose her mind?  
Matt finished his slurping and glanced at his watch. "About an hour, why? Am I boring you? "He asked, sounding a bit dismayed.  
Hastily, Sarah shook her head. "No, not at all. It's just ... I just had to think about where else. "She gave a calming smile as possible. Matt had always been friendly to her, but she could not remember, with the best of intentions, ever intended to date him.  
"I'll be right back, do not run away," Matt apologized, got up and disappeared to the bathroom.  
Sarah leaned on the table with both elbows and ran her hand through her hair. She was just more than confused. Had she just imagined everything, had her imagination run away with her again? But she had been in the hospital the last time she had expressed her wish ...  
She let her eyes wander - and it stuck to a man. A cold shiver ran down her spine. He sat alone at a table, an untouched cup of coffee in front of him, studying the newspaper in front of him. He wore dark trousers, a white tight shirt whose first buttons were casually opened; his short, blond hair was combed to the side. A cigarette hung loose in the corner of his mouth.  
Sarah stared at him bluntly. She knew this face.  
"Here I am again." Matt sank down on the bench with a sigh. "Where were we? Oh yes, we talked about what we do after this summer. So I'll be like my brother after ... "Sarah did not listen to him at all. She nodded occasionally and smiled, but kept looking for the sight of the stranger still sitting at the table. When she heard a ringing, her attention returned to Matt. "Oh, excuse me," he said and pulled out his cell phone, "my sister. I'll be right back. "He answered his call, got up and phoned the diner. Glad to this opportunity, Sarah again looked for the stranger. He had not moved from the spot, but his different-colored eyes were full of mischief addressed directly to Sarah and he smiled, the cigarette now clamped between his fingers. Clouds of smoke curled up.

Sarah's neck tightened. She wanted to take her eyes off him, but she just could not. The stranger got up, muffled the cigarette carelessly in the coffee, and seemed to approach it. Now she even stopped breathing; the man came right to her!  
In fact, he walked slowly past her, still smiling strangely. "Are you always staring at strangers, pretty girl?" Were his only mischievous words before he left the diner and left the smell of lilac behind; he was gone. Sarah, still embarrassed, gathered. Matt just returned and was about to sit down when Sarah got up quickly.  
"I have to go home, take care of my brother. I'm sorry, Matt, "Sarah blurted out her bad excuse and did not even wait for an answer, just ran out of the diner and left a baffled Matt behind.  
Sarah ran as fast as her feet carried her; she walked all the streets and alleyways to her parents' house. When she arrived, she had terrible sideways, struggling for breath and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. The heat of the midday sun stabbed down on them.  
In a hurry she entered the house. "Dad? Someone at home? "Nobody answered her, so she walked up the stairs to her room a little more relaxed than before. Once there, she closed the door behind her and dropped to her bed with an exhausted sigh. Only for a moment would she close her eyes to calm down and not completely lose her mind. Had she actually returned to the maze - or had it all been a dream, and such a place had always existed in her imagination? 

And yet it felt so real ...


	11. Don't cry for me, baby

... quiet, classical music. Sarah scrambled to her feet and stood, her body cramping from the uncomfortable situation. She listened briefly to make sure she was not mistaken. The music was there, it did not just educate them.Careful not to make a noise, she got up and tiptoed to her bedroom door. She had called when she entered the house, but nobody had answered, so she had to be alone - so why was the music playing? She knew that her parents owned mainly jazz records. Only once a year did classical music sound in the house of Williams when ...Sarah put her hand around the knob, carefully opening the door and peering through the gap. Nothing stirred, only the music continued to sound. But what room did she come from? She tilted her head in every direction. The music did not come out of Toby's room or from the bottom, that much was certain. She leaned against the door to her parents' bedroom.

The music clearly came from this room.With heart pounding, she opened the door and peered into the room. The vinyl disc turned on the old turntable, which stood on a dresser near the bed. A vase of fresh, colorful flowers exuded the beguiling scent of a summer meadow. At the dressing table sat a woman whose face Sarah could not see because the mirror was strangely fogged. She knew that her stepmother was not sitting in front of her, combing her hair; her dark brown, shiny hair fell smoothly over her back. Quietly mumbling the tune of the song, she went on.Sarah's mouth was terribly dry. The blood rushed in her ears and white sparkles fluttered before her eyes. She was so excited and at the same time terrified that she was afraid of passing out. The plate ended, all that was left to do was to grind the needle on it.The woman had put the brush aside. She stretched her hand toward the mirror and ran her palm over it so that Sarah could catch a glimpse and thought she was sitting in front of the mirror herself. Two large, expressive eyes looked back at her; her full lips curled into a friendly, gentle smile and made little laugh lines in her eyes. The dark hair framed the slender face.Sarah needed no further explanation, she knew immediately who was sitting in front of her.  
"My little Sarah," her mother began meekly, "it's so nice to see you." 

Sarah struggled for composure. Tears burned in her eyes, which she could not hold back and who shot her hot on the cheeks. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound. It was impossible what was happening.Her mother had risen and approached her but did not fall around her daughter's neck. She sensed Sarah's fear and desperation, knew that she should not rush anything and therefore only reached for her hand. Sarah hesitated first, leaving that person - who was obviously her mother, but that could not be ?! - grant to make sure that she did not dream.Her mother's hand felt so warm and soft; she felt the gentle pressure and thought she was beginning to lose her mind. They remained in that position for a long time, until Sarah had calmed down and finally fell into the arms of her mother. Greedy, she inhaled the scent of her mother's hair as if it were her last breath.   
"How can that be ...", sobbed Sarah, "how can you be here if ..."  
"Sh-sh." Calmingly her mother rocked her in her arms, stroking her back. "It is important that we are both here now. Let me take a look."   
She took her daughter's face between her hands, looked at her and smiled widely.   
"How beautiful you are. A beautiful, smart young woman, " her mother whispered and she too had to fight back tears. 

Sarah had missed her, some days so much that she thought her heart would be torn with grief. She had been small when her father had sneaked softly into her room, picked up his daughter and held her for a long time. With a trembling voice, he had told her that her seriously ill mother would now be a healthy and beautiful angel, but would always watch over the family. Sarah had believed him then, but as she grew older she realized that her mother was gone forever. Her father had remarried just a few years after his wife's death, Linda, because he felt his daughter needed a mother.   
Sarah had thrown him on the head that she already had one, even if it was dead - and had disappeared into her room door banging. She had not cared how much she had hurt her father with these words. She needed her mother in so many moments.

The relationship with her stepmother, Linda, had improved only after Toby's kidnapping - yet she had never been able to fully open herself to her.Now she sat here and looked into the bright face of her long-dead mother."This is not real, is it?"   
Sarah walked across the room, touching objects as if they were going to vanish at any moment. She turned to her mother, who had not moved.She smiled warmly at her daughter. "Why should not it be? We are here, in our home, sweetheart. It's all right.“  
She approached Sarah, but she raised her arms defensively. Surprised and disappointed, her mother paused. Sarah ran her fingers through her hair.   
"Then why do I remember that you died? You can not say that Dad's grief, that Linda and Toby Williams were just a fancy of mine!"Something was not right here.Sarah felt a slight nausea rise in her.  
"Oh darling, maybe you're just tired. Come, lie down for a while. Meanwhile, I cook some tea."   
Her mother had spread her arms placatingly. An imploring expression lay on her face.  
Slowly, Sarah shook her head. "It's all too easy ...", she murmured and studied the floor thoughtfully, before she turned back to her mother. "I'm not home, and you're not really here, Mum. As much as it hurts, but you died and can not be here." She swallowed and pushed her grief out of her mind.  
"But it can become your reality, can not it?" Tears glittered in her mother's blue eyes as her voice trembled.   
"We can be together again, Sarah. That's all that matters. My little girl, I missed you so much. Let's start over- "  
Sarah backed away again, this time shaking her head more emphatically.   
Her throat tightened as she saw her mother's desperation, but could not help it.  
She took the big snow globe that stood on the dresser and shook it; the glitter sparks wafted wildly in the liquid before they sank back to the bottom.  
"Nothing is what it seems," Sarah said, reaching out with her arms and throwing the ball to the floor with full force; her mother made a surprised sound.   
The thick glass burst and left an earthy hole in the ground.   
Almost at the same moment, the house began to creak and groan ominously as the opening continued to open and slowly devour the furniture. The crystal chandelier crashed down, dragging part of the ceiling with it; Sarah put her arms protectively in front of her face. 

"Do not cry for me, my little girl. We'll meet again." She heard her mother's whispering voice close to her ear, but when she lowered her arms, neither the house nor her mother could be seen. 

Darkness had settled over Sarah's eyes.


	12. Dark paths

I'm sorry for the long absence - I had to deal with some problems and university, so there was no time to write and post anything.

***

Constant rippling told her she was back. She found herself lying prone on the cold floor. Dizzy, she scrambled to her feet, realizing that the candle had burned down far enough. Soon her light would go dry.  
She walked past the well and thought she had landed again on a dead end, but on closer inspection realized that there was a small tunnel in the wall in front of her, just big enough to crawl through.  
Sarah sighed annoyed. "That's not fair."  
She lit the tunnel as well as the flickering candlelight allowed. She could see nothing except for a few meters, the rest of the tunnel was swallowed up by the darkness. "Wonderful. Maybe I'll die in a hole in the ground, "Sarah snapped louder than intended and cursed Jareth, who had to be responsible for all this.  
"Oh, wasssssss," someone hissed behind her. Startled, Sarah drove around, waving the candle. Wax dripped on her hands, but she did not care. The flame flickered dangerously. On the earthy ground a snake wound, its black scales shining bluish. "The road is safe as long as I accompany you; I am the guardian of the tunnel. "  
Uncertain Sarah stepped from one foot to the other. She did not know what to do. There was no other way to give up and go back was out of the question for them; if she remembered correctly, the labyrinth changed involuntarily. So what else could she do but believe the words of the serpent and follow her?  
"Do you have a name?" She wanted to know before she put her plan into action.  
The snake waved his head rhythmically. "Call me serpent or guardian as you please. Now follow me."  
The animal slid silently into the tunnel.

Sarah shrugged, lay down on the floor and began to crawl forward. She used her elbows as a drive and displaced the pain as she crawled over pointed stones. She still held the candle with one hand, which made her slower and more laborious than the snake. Again and again she inhaled dust, which scraped horribly in her lungs; when she coughed, finally, what Sarah had feared all the time: the candle went out. "No, no ... please do not. That can not be true!"  
She felt the panic that had hitherto successfully suppressed her. Pure darkness surrounded and blinded her; to make matters worse, she still bothered her head.  
"I'm still here. Follow my voi-ssssss-e." The snake was still here, so she had not abandoned her!  
Okay, calm down, Sarah - you can do that, she told herself in the thought of courage, you just have to crawl on, you're not alone.  
With all her strength she pushed on in the direction of the flickering noise. She had lost all sense of time and place in the depths of the labyrinth. She did not know where she was, nor could she tell how long she had been here.  
To their great joy, one end of the tunnel was in sight. Her eyes were well used to the darkness, so she could quickly see any change in brightness. As fast as she could, she crawled to the serpent's freedom; Once there, Sarah rolled herself on the back, exhausted, and lay panting until she realized that the night sky, surrounded by treetops, lay over her; Hundreds of stars sparkled brightly, not a single cloud was visible. But many of the stars shone too much ... fairies!  
Jerkily, Sarah sat up. A small pond. The many trees. The Glade. She knew this place, had been in the dream ever before - was this again a dream, an illusion?  
The snake slid past her toward the pond. Sarah frowned, pulling her thick eyebrows together. Had bumps formed on the animal or were they just not noticed? The snake actually changed. Her body widened as she rose; Bumps formed and disappeared at the same time. The image that Sarah offered was more than bizarre. Arms and legs sprouted rapidly, the head took on a round shape. The creature in front of her still wore the black scale dress, but had nothing in common with a snake.  
She wanted to move, but her body did not obey her and she sat rooted to the spot. Sarah's pupils widened as she watched in disbelief that transformation.  
The being grew up; Sheds slid to the ground and formed a shimmering train. Turning her back to Sarah, her joints cracked loudly before she turned unbearably slowly, her face hidden under a long hood. Without a word, she approached and held out her arm. Sarah, who had now managed to break through, had reflexively crept backwards until she realized that the serpent - the creature - was offering her his help.   
She hesitated.

"If I wanted to hurt you, I would have let the tunnel collapse," it whispered from under his hood. His words made sense, after all, she had trusted him before.  
She took the black hand of the being. Effortless Sarah, who had not expected such strength, pulled herself up. She gasped, stumbled and clawed at the creature's shoulders, which quickly put her hands on her hips as a support.  
Strands of dense blond hair flashed out as the hood slid down; the fair skin was accentuated by the close, deep black suit of scales.  
Her fingers were still clenched tight against her counterpart. She was not sure what she had just seen out of the corner of her eye and did not really want to know it; yet she slowly raised her head while the blood rushed loudly in her ears.

 

For a second that seemed like half an eternity, Sarah's heartbeat stopped as Jareth looked amusedly down at her with a mischievous smile.


End file.
